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Sony quits making XCP protected CDs

14 November 2005 17:28 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 7 comments

One of the worlds largest music labels, Sony BMG, has stopped producing CDs that contain XCP copy protection following criticism. It emerged that the XCP DRM used similar cloaking techniques to rootkits, which are often used by virus writers to hide malicious software in the Windows operating system to avoid detection. Sony still defended its right to ensure that consumers cannot make illegal copies of their music CDs but said it will stop making XCP protected CDs as a precautionary measure.

"We also intend to re-examine all aspects of our content protection initiative to be sure that it continues to meet our goals of security and ease of consumer use," the company said in a statement. Anti-virus companies have since blacklisted the XCP copy protection and it has been labeled by many as spyware due to the complications in detecting and removing it. To make matters worse, a trojan that takes advantage of the file hiding techniques surfaced last week in an email attachment, and at least one variant has also been reported.

About 20 popular music titles, such as a release by Van Zant, are protected with the XCP technology. However, Mark Russinovich who originally exposed the methods used by XCP, is unimpressed with Sony's timing. "This is a step they should have taken immediately," he commented. He pointed out that Sony did not admit to any wrong doing and didn't promise not to use similar techniques in future.

Source:
USA Today

Thanks to borhan9, dkbaked, Gerrard and jimmymac for News Submissions.

Permalink to this article

Sony BMG settles DRM case with FTC (30 January 2007)

Judge Grants Final Approval for Sony BMG CD Settlement (24 May 2006)

Sony BMG to re-evaluate CD protection (12 December 2005)

Another lawsuit filed against Sony (3 December 2005)

XCP CDs still on store shelves (30 November 2005)

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Sony BMG hit by lawsuits over XCP (10 November 2005)

Trojan takes advantage of Sony BMG DRM (10 November 2005)

Sony BMG's Thomas Hesse on the 'rootkit' DRM (10 November 2005)

Sony BMG criticised over XCP (3 November 2005)

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DVDRipGuy (Member) 14 November 2005 17:50
DIE SONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [ + quote]
limelight (Member) 15 November 2005 2:04
So what if i put this in my stand-alone dual tray cd recorder? would it copy fine since there's no OS? [ + quote]
mystic (Member) 15 November 2005 3:48
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/79806/digital-rights-body-calls-for-sony-to-recall-xcp-cds.html this is the artical that said it all Sony must recall end of story..... [ + quote]
DaOsT (Senior Member) 15 November 2005 4:14
is this the encryption that put something in your pc also ....illegally!!!??? ::LivE ForeveR OR DiE TryiN!!::....::DonT FinD US WE WilL FinD YoU::.. ChecK OuT ThE PenguiN GamE AnD PosT YouR HighesT DistancE ON ThE ForuM http://www.gazholland.co.uk [ + quote]
mystic (Member) 15 November 2005 6:11
yes and as a tech for a school department it was something of a chore to go to all our systems and labs and clean this out.... Sony has to answer for my time and all the trouble they have caused... and Im only one of thousands of techs at difrent schools it took me 2 hours on the phone to get the removil tool because of the way they listed the website first you had to know what cd was played ? makes you wonder how many veriations there are? [ + quote]
flipsterz (Newbie) 18 November 2005 12:36
hoo raah!!! for all those that got this evil removed. [ + quote]
ireland (Inactive) 18 November 2005 12:48
mystic and all hows this for a starter,all sory info is posted on this board by me all ye have to is look at the title of each thread Sony BMG last week was targeted in a class action lawsuit complaining that it had not disclosed the true nature of its copy-protection software. http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69590,00.html?tw=rss.TOP The list I have cobbled together, includes a whopping 474445 new releases. Thats right, 45. And to be honest, there could be more. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the list, other than the fact that they were all released within the last 6 months. There are a few names, but to be honest the most are artists that I�ve never heard of. Foo Fighters - In Your Honour Van Zant - Get Right with the Man Ricky Martin - Life Sarah McLachlan - Bloom Remix Album Celine Dion - On Ne Change Pas Neil Diamond - 12 Songs Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak Santana - All That I Am Chris Botti - To Love Again Switchfoot - Nothing Is Sound Patty Loveless - Dreamin� My Dreams Montgomery Gentry - Something To Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005 Mary Mary - Mary Mary My Morning Jacket - Z David Gray - Life In Slow Motion Bob Brookmeyer - Bob Brookmeyer & Friends Shelly Fairchild - Ride Kasabian - Kasbian Pete Seeger - The Essential Pete Seeger The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity Elkland - Golden Susie Suh - Susie Suh Buddy Jewel - Times Like These Chayanne - Cautivo A Static Lullaby - Faso Latido Our Lady Peace - Healthy In Paranoid Times The Coral - The Invisible Invasion Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie Acceptance - Phantoms Dion - The Essential Dion The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s Goapele - Change It All Los Lonely Boys - TBD Life of Agony - Broken Valley George Jones - My Very Special Guests Horace Silver - Silver�s Blue Amici Forever - Defined Ahmed Jamal - The Legendary Okeh and Epic Recordings Anna Nalick - Wreck of the Day Hitch - Soundtrack Charlotte Martin - On Your Shore Vivian Green - Vivian Raheem DeVaughn - The Love Experience Amerie - Touch Nivea - Complicated Mario - Turning Point G3 - Live In Tokyo http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/258028 also read this.. Sory Viruc Rootkit,Corp. offers new CDs, MP3s for recalled discs http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/259010 [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 18 November 2005 12:49